Canadian-American Special Force in Italy Remembered for Key Victory in World War II

This plaque commemorates the heroics of the First Special Service Force on Mt. La Difensa.

Memorial Day seemed like an appropriate time to learn about the exploits of the First Special Service Force in Italy during World War II. I took advantage of the opportunity to watch a lecture livestreamed from Italy about one of the key battles fought by these elite Canadian and American soldiers. The modern American and Canadian special operations forces trace their heritage to this unit. Their exploits are commemorated at the Museo del Secondo Risorgimento, a World War II history museum and near the site of one of the greatest Allied victories during the Italian campaign, at Monte la Difensa. The museum is in the town of Mignano Monte Lungo in Campania. The lecturer, Gianni Biasi, has a deep connection to the area, having been born there and now returned after years in Canada.

He was livestreaming near the base of Monte la Difensa as he explained how, in 1943-44, a well-constructed and fortified system of Axis defensive lines stretched across central Italy, from sea to sea, to stop the Allied advance. The First Special Service Force (1st SSF), also known as the Devil’s Brigade, fought in battles along the Winter Line, and the bravery and sacrifices of this elite American-Canadian commando unit ultimately led to the Allied liberation of Rome on June 4, 1944. Gianni explained that even their name was carefully chosen, so that the Germans would not be able to figure out if there was a Second (or Third) Special Service Force.

Gen. Robert T. Frederick, leader of the First Special Service Force

This Canadian/American force trained in Helena, Montana, for 10 months, working extensively on winter and mountain warfare techniques. They had to be in peak physical condition, and proficient in hand-to-hand combat, mountain climbing, the proper use of maps and parachuting. The force members had to be ready for a possible assault on skis (since their destination was originally supposed to be Norway). Gianni told us the amazing story of the group’s leader, American Robert Tryon Frederick, who in three years’ time rose to be a brigadier general at the age of 37. He was stationed at Santa Maria Capua Vetere in the province of Caserta in Campania. He became known as an officer who led from the front — trudging through the mud with his men and helping carry stretchers for his wounded men. Frederick went on to have an extraordinary career, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill reportedly called him “the greatest fighting general of all time,” adding that “if we had a dozen more like him, we would have smashed Hitler in 1942.” The force was tasked with taking two heavily fortified German positions on the Winter Line in the Italian mountains — one at Monte La Difensa and the other at Monte La Remetanea.

The importance of these mountains lay in their position relative to Hitler’s Gustav Line. La Difensa and Remetanea were the last entrenched positions before the Gustav Line, and an Allied push through the mountains would enable them to advance closer to Rome. Strategically, the mountains provided a commanding view of the countryside and highway, giving German artillery on the mountain control of the surrounding area. The paths leading up La Difensa were heavily scouted by the force prior to their attack, and it was determined that the best way to approach the entrenched enemy was up an almost vertical steep slope in hope of catching the Germans off guard. After reaching the base of the mountain at dusk, the force began their ascent of La Difensa on December 2, 1943, under cover of a heavy artillery barrage. Unfortunately, the Germans were made aware of the Allied positions after members of the force tripped over loose gravel while moving along the mountain. The Germans shot flares into the air and the battle was on. One soldier said later, “It looked as if we were marching into Hell.

The whole mountain was being shelled and seemed to be on fire.” They fought an incredible battle with some men going up the mountain towards the German encampment at the top, while others went around the side of the mountain and went up the sheer cliffs tied to each other with ropes, in the freezing rain at night time with the men each carrying 70 pounds of equipment on their backs. They managed to go up in only 4 hours (while a normal, fit person would take 6½ hours), and they drove the Germans from the mountain. Photographs of the battle can be seen in the museum. They were taken by Robert Capa, a Hungarian-American photographer who later went to Normandy and was the only civilian photographer during the landing. Capa is considered by some to be the greatest combat and adventure photographer in history. His famous photos of that Normandy landing are contained in a book, “Slightly Out of Focus” and 11 of them were published in Life Magazine.

This battle was the first time during the war that the Italians fought alongside the Allies, and the museum lists all the many Italians who were killed in the fighting. Gianni said there is convincing evidence showing that the First Special Service Force was the first to enter Rome. Frederick himself was wounded by the Germans on the Margherita Bridge, but, along with his driver, he jumped out of his vehicle and began firing at the Germans. Gianni noted that there is a plaque in Rome honoring Frederick on the corner of Via Veneto near the American Embassy.

The fighting is described in the book “Brave Men,” by Ernie Pyle, a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist and war correspondent. The Canadian/American force became such a cohesive unit that they became like brothers and it was difficult for them to break up two years later. After fighting in Italy, the force served in southern France before being disbanded in December 1944. The successful assault on La Difensa was the basis for the 1968 movie “The Devil’s Brigade,” starring William Holden, Cliff Robertson, and Vince Edwards. Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 film, “Inglourious Basterds” features a character named Lt. Aldo Raine played by Brad Pitt who wears the unit’s crossed arrows collar insignia and red arrowhead shoulder patch, and Tarantino cited the 1st SSF as an influence. In 2013, the United States Congress passed a bill to award the 1st Special Service Force the Congressional Gold Medal.